I’m pretty sure half of you are thinking that makeup for swimming is an awesome idea and the other half are thinking WTF! But stay with me here. Sometimes you have places to be before you swim. Maybe you’re on holiday and are having lunch first or you’re headed out for a day of fun with friends at the waterpark or you want to still have eyebrows in photos! Maybe you sweat a lot and don’t want to look like a melty mess (in which case you need this post and this one too). Maybe you want to look cute at the swim bar. Maybe you want to look good at the gym. Maybe it’s hard for you to feel confident in swimwear and a little makeup makes you feel more comfortable. I had this make up on in my bikini pics. Do your thing and don’t judge, okay?
This summer I’ve been trying to swim at my local outdoor pool as much as I can, for both fun and fitness. On a typical swimming day, I am doing more than just heading to the pool and coming home. I usually run a few errands on the way and sometimes after. I always feel better when I am wearing mascara and lipstick because that’s my thing. I have a great waterproof mascara and lipstick combo that makes me happy and it got me thinking about waterproof makeup. Mum was really surprised by the makeup industry definition of ‘waterproof’. There are so many ‘waterproof’ products that are splash proof but not swim proof. And I think in some ways, that’s fair. Swimming is not just full immersion but probably entails salt or pool chemicals and some level of touching or patting as you swim or dry off. So I took all of this a sign from the makeup gods and decided to try out all my ‘waterproof’ makeup for ‘science’. Because ‘waterproof’ and ‘you can swim in this’ are different ideas, I won’t mention the many products that were epic fails in the water, just the ones that passed muster.
My normal daily makeup routine is far from a full face glam! Despite suffering from rosacea, I rarely wear foundation, just a bit of concealer and maybe some powder foundation. My skin has been keeping well and I think the less I put on it, the better. At a minimum I like to have brows, lashes, winged liner and lips. When it comes to swimming make up, I just want to have a bit of definition. I am mostly focused on makeup looking good before I swim and easily added to after, if I am going on to other things. Obviously, it would be ideal if all the products stayed put perfectly through swimming and after but I’m okay with things melting away a bit, so long as I don’t have weird smudges, black tears or a general clown like meltdown in the water. So here are my findings…
Base
The most important thing here is great sun protection! You want to start with a high SPF waterproof/water resistant sunscreen. Trust me, it must be waterproof and you will need to reapply as necessary. I am currently using SunSense Sensitive Invisible 50+ and have been liking it but Cora from Vintage or Tacky has some great info on sunscreen if you want to know more.
If I want some coverage, I go with powder foundation, my fave is the NYX Stay Matte Not Flat Powder. It will eventually come off in the water but it does so without running or becoming a smeary mess. Using a good setting spray helps. If you are looking for something that will stand up better, I have heard a lot of love for MAC Face and Body Foundation.
Eyebrows
I either permanently tint mine at home (full post on that here) or use the Maybelline Tattoo Brow 3 Day Gel Tint in Grey Brown. It adds some brow definition, fakes some fullness and works great for me. In general I find that the Maybelline stays on well and fades in soft way over a few days. When swimming I noticed just a little fading after rubbing my brows a lot (testing for science) but it is still my preferred option.
Mum on the other hand is not a fan on the Maybelline because her brows are very thin in shape and no matter which brush we tried, the product was too thick and gloopy to make a nice shape. So Mum uses either the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Colour pen or the Too Faced Brow Quickie gel to fill her brows in and finds both waterproof.
Mascara
I’ve never had luck with waterproof mascara, it always runs! Until I found the Japanese made Isehan Heroine Make Long and Curl, that stuff stays on like crazy! It’s less dramatic than my normal mascara but it doesn’t budge. I hate water in my eyes, so I tend to swipe/rub/touch my eyes and eyebrows way too much. Still perfect with no flaking or running at all. I actually need a new one and just ordered one in their new super waterproof line today.
My pro tip is to curl those lashes! I sometimes skip this step in my daily routine but since I rarely wear eyeliner for swimming I want the most from my lashes, so curling is a must. On my lashes it makes a huge difference!
Eyeshadow
Sometimes I like a wash of colour on my lids or a little smudgy brown at the lash line. I use the Bobbi Brown Longwear Cream Eyeshadow Sticks. Mum got me one of their holiday sets, which has four minis, all in neutral tones. They stay rock solid but if you are rubbing your eyes like I do, they will fade just a little but don’t become patchy. I wear them a lot in summer because they are great with sweat too. They are pricey but so very worth it and the sets are even better because you get a selection. I also have one of the MakeUp Forever Aqua Cream Shadows and they are 100% bullet proof. I don’t know how but they resist pretty much everything.
Eyeliner
I’ve said I swipe my eyes a LOT when I swim, so a full winged eyeliner is hard to pull off. I either use an angled brush to stamp along the lash line, using one of the shadows above or line my waterline with a waterproof black pencil (Stila Smudge Sticks have been my fave). Since I do tend to touch my eyes a lot, shadow tends to work better than the pencil, which on occasion gets a bit smudgy. I have gone full winged liner with the Australis Eyegasm Waterproof Liquid Liner, which really does stay put if you don’t rub it like me. I hear excellent things about the Iridis Cosmetics Liquid Liner and I’ve ordered it and hope to test it soon.
Lips
LipSense! Yep it’s a polarizing product due to its party plan style distribution model but that stuff does not come off! It’s a two-part system, put on three thin layers of the colour and a special gloss top coat. You really do need both parts because the colour layers are sticky and weird and gross without the gloss and if you use any old gloss it doesn’t last. I can put this on at 9am, eat and drink and live and not take my make up off and it will still be mostly on at 9am the next day! This stuff is no joke! I love it and it’s perfect for swimming! If you are interested in checking out LipSense, Lexi from Yankee Sweetheart Salon is happy to help you out and posts Australia wide – tell her Ask Sarah sent you! Nothing in for me, I just love her creative tutorials and know she is an enthusiastic lipstick lady. If you don’t want to use LipSense, a transfer proof matte liquid lipstick is your best bet.
As I have said, I only used products I had to hand and have had a chance to test. I’m really happy with all of these products and have tested them at the pool. There are probably thousands of products out there. I know that Make Up Forever has loads of waterproof products, initially designed for synchronized swimmers. So if you are looking for other options, that line is a good place to start. But I can’t wait to hear from you! Is wearing makeup to swim a yes or no? Do you have any wonderful waterproof products I should test? Let me know xx
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